Weight Loss

Biography

Biography: Jos Runhaar

Abstract

Overweight is one of the major risk factors for knee osteoarthritis (OA) development. Despite this knowledge, the first ever preventive randomized controlled trial in OA research was recently completed. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of weight loss, through apragmatic tailor-made lifestyle intervention, on the incidence of knee OA after 30 months in a high-risk group of 407 middle-aged overweight and obese women. The lifestyle intervention was effective in reducing body weight at short follow-up (12 months), but not at long-term (30 months). Subgroup analysis, using Latent Class Growth Analysis, showed weight loss in mainly achieved by women with greater weight gain in recent years. The lack of a significant reduction in body weight after 30 months probably led to a non-significant effect on the incidence of knee OA. In total, 17% of all women achieved the predefined target of 5 kg/5% weight loss after 30 months. Incidence of knee OA was significantly reduced in women achieving the weight loss target (OR 0.5 [0.3-0.9] for combined clinical and radiographic knee OA and OR 0.3 [0.1-0.9] for radiographic knee OA). Moreover, blood glucose levels (HbA1c), fat percentage, waist circumference and blood pressure were significantly reduced among women achieving 5 kg/5% weight loss. Using the results of the first ever preventive trial in OA research, we now aim to design a more effective lifestyle intervention that achieves greater weight loss after long-term follow-up. Potentially, this will effectively increase health and reduce the incidence of knee OA among middle-aged women.